(1) Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to educational devices used to illustrate a number of different basic wiring configurations and electrical principles pertaining to house wiring. The unit is self-contained and may be easily stored and transported between locations such as classrooms.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
In the past, teaching of fundamental electrical wiring practices to high school and trade school students involved one or both of the following procedures. Namely, a display panel having electric connectors with associated boxes and connecting conduit could be hooked up on a permanent basis to display boards or to a framed wall thus requiring excessive space, while the electrical outlets, wires, sockets, switches and the like were stored at another location. The inconvenience of repeated apparatus set-up during a school day and the difficulties inherent in teaching methods using only a single display panel or demonstrating unit have resulted in inconvenience to both the student and the teacher because of excessive amounts of time necessary to construct a display panel each time a particular circuit is to be wired. In utilizing pre-assembled display panels, it has been inconvenient to obtain display devices such as receptacles, switches and the like from storage locations away from the display panel. Thus, time consumed in obtaining various teaching components and constructing the circuits, combined with the large space occupied by large display panels have required teachers to lecture to classes and has prevented students from obtaining "hands on" experience, and prevented students from receiving complete and meaningful instruction.
Further, most contemporary facilities are organized for teaching theoretical aspects of electricity and many facilities are directed to teaching electronics. Facilities for teaching electronics and theory leave little or sometimes no facilities for teaching and demonstrating basic house wiring principles which are necessary to develop electrical skills needed by great numbers of students. Consequently, existing facilities and emphases are incompatible with requirements for teaching basic electrical wiring.